Automatic window cleaner



May 5, 1931. M. R. MOON 1,803,722.

AUTOMATI C WINDOW CLEANER Filed April 22, 1929 a Sheets- Sheet 1 gwuento a Man/s 1. M0

(utozmq y 1931. M. R. MOON 1,803,722

AUTOMATIC WINDOW CLEAN ER Filed April 22, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ll i gwuwntoz Mark/ls M000 May 5, 1931. M. R. MOON AUTOMATIC WINDOW CLEANER Filed April 22, 1929- 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 4 )nveniw Morris 7?! M Patented May 5, 1931 V M03318, 3. MOON, F PORTLAND, OREGON AUTOMATIC WINDOW CLEANER Application filed April 22, 1929. Serial No. 357,047.

My invention relates to automatic window cleaners, and is primarily intended for use in the cleaning of cab windows disposed u on the vestibule of street cars, in the cabs o? locomotives, in the pilot house of ships and the like, and has for its primary purpose the removing of snow and ice and moisture from the window disposed in front of the lookout or driver.

A further object of my invention is to periodically and automatically pass the cleaner over the major portion of the window to be cleaned to prevent the forming of foreign matter upon the glass.

The invention in its primary construction consists of an element adapted to engage the surface of the window to be cleaned and having means associated with the oppositely disposed ends of the cleaning element for o automatically reciprocating the same across the surface to be cleaned.

In some form of vehicles, and especially in street cars, the window to be cleaned is adapted for being raised and lowered to permit the operator of the vehicle to throw the switch without disembarking from the vestibule or cab. Upon such construct on, my device is particularly adapted for use, means being provided in the construction to accommodate the device to windowsto be raised and lowered.

A further object of my invention consists in providing automatic means for reversing the motor to be used as a prime mover for manipulatin the cleaning element.

With these an incidental objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combination of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in the appended claims, and a preferred form of embodiment of which is -hereinafter shown with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a front view of a street car having one of my cleaners secured to the front thereof and ada ted for cleaning the central front window of the car.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, sectional view,

the associated elements, illustrating the cleaning device in inverted plan view.

Fig. 5 is a sectional, end view of the device in place.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the switch for reversing the electric motor for manipulating the device.

Fig. 7 is a perspective skeleton view of the assembly shown removed from its place of use to better illustrate the construction of the same.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatical layout of the electric circuits and of switch mechanism.

Fig. 9 is a front view of a street car, illustrating one of my new and improved devices in a modified form illustrating the cleaning element adapted to being moved crosswise of the window to be cleaned instead of longitudinal, as disclosed in the views heretofore illustrated.

Fig. 10 is a vertical, sectional view, taken on line 1010 of Fig. 9, looking in the direction indicated.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary, side view of the' roller supports to which the cleaning element is attached.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary, sectional view of the lower end of the swivel connection disposed at the lower end of the cleaning element into which a heating device is placed, the purpose of which is to maintain the associated elements in a warmed condition to prevent the locking of the device from freezing.

Fig. 13 is a skeleton perspective view of the assembly shown removed from the window to which the same is to be attached.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

1 is the front of the car housing into which a central window 2 is placed. The window 2 is disposed within a suitable sash 3. The sash being adapted to being raised and lowered relative to the frame 4, by becoming lowered through the slot 5, disposed within the frame 4.

Referring to Fig. 7, I preferably form my device of a skeleton structure consisting of vertically disposed channel elements 6 and 7 inwardly extending from which are hollow post members, four in number, 8 and 9 dis osed at the upper end of the channels, an 10 and 11 disposed adjacent the lower end of the channels, the same being preferably made cylindrical in order that they may be made to extend through the structure surrounding the window and. referably through bored holes. Guide bloc s 12 and 13 are reci rocably disposed within the channels 6 and 7 and have a cross bar 14 connecting the two. A window cleaning device 15, is secured to the cross bar 14 and an element 16 disposed upon its inside which is adapted to engage the surface of the window to be cleaned. Guide blocks 12 and 13 are directly secured to flexible cables 17 and 18 which said cables extend in either direction from the guide blocks 12 and 13; one end of the cables extending upwardly through the channels 6 and 7 and outwardly through the posts 8 and 9 and down and around the winding drum 19; the other end of the cable extending downwardly and through the columns or posts 10 and 11 and is adapted to being wound around the winding drum 20; each of the winding drums 19 and 20 are adapted to being driven from a common driving element 21, so that as the cable is wound about the winding drum 20 the window cleaning element 15 will be moved in one direction and as the cables are wound around the drum 20 they are automatically unwound from the drum 19 and when the driving element is reversed, the

winding and unwinding is also reversed and the window cleaning element will be manipulated in the o posite direction. The cables have a stop lilock 22 secured thereto and the cables pass through a switch bar 23. The switch bar 23 having feet 24 and 25 disposed at oppositely disposed ends of the same with a passage hole dis osed through the hole in each foot throug which the cables pass. The switch bar 23 being secured to the switch lever 26. As the prime mover. 27 is energized, the stop block 22 in its downward passage engages the lower foot 25 of the switch bar and throws the reverse switch, thereby driving the prime mover 27 in the opposite direction at which time the stop block 22 is manipulated in the o posite direction, until the same engages t e foot 24 of the switch bar 23. As the cables are wound and unwound about the respective drivin drums, the window cleaning element 15 is moved in alternate directions, and cleans the window to be cleaned. The cables disposed within the channels 6 and 7 pass over and around, ulle s 28 and 29 secured within suitable rac ets disposed within channel ways. A pulley being disposed at each end of each of the hollow posts around which the cables also ass. The window cleaning element is pre erably formed by the placing of sheet stock, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and formed having a channel way 30 clrcular in cross sectional area through which the cross bar 14 asses to form ends 31 9. art t rough which the window cleaning e ement 16 passes and which secures the same in place. The head 33 being rotatably disposed about the cross bar 14. A in 34 being disposed within the bar and whic is adapte to engage within a slot 35 disposed within the head which prevents the rotation of the head about the bar when the pin is disposed within the slot; should it be desired to rotate the head about the bar; the head may be moved longitudinally of the bar until the slot disengages from the in at which time the head may be rotate or artially r0- tated about the bar. It may o found desirable to move the cleaning element horizontally across the window mstead of vertically and where this is desired, or required, the same is made as illustrated in detail in Figs. 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 wherein the channel bars 7 and 8 are disposed in the horizontal position and wherein the hollow posts 8, 9, 10 and 11 are disposed at oppositely disposed ends of the res ective channel bars through which the cabl es pass. The cross bar 14 being secured to a trolley block 15 secured at oppositely disposed ends of the cross bar to which trolley wheels 36 and 37 are secured. The respective cables being secured to a lug 38 disposed upon the trolley to reciprocate the same. When the device is made in this manner, I have found that it is desirable to maintain the lower end of the bar, which is preferably made hollow in a warmed condition to prevent the freezing of the same. ires 39 and 40 carrying electricity pass upwardly through the housing 41 and terminates in an electric heating element 42, extendin upwardly within the cross bar 14, in or or to maintain the same in warmed condition. This prevents the freezing of the associated elements in cold weather and facilitates the sliding and rotation of the head and the cross bars relative to the devices associated therewith.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the one form of embodiment herein shown and described, as

g it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, all coming within the scope of the claim which follows. What I claim is:

In a device of the class described, in comand 32 spaced bination, a pair of uprights, grooves longitudin'ally disposed within the uprights, a hollow post secured to each end of said uprights and communicating with the respective grooves, guide blocks disposed within each groove, a cross bar secured to said guide blocks, a swipe movably secured to 'saidcross bar, winding drums journaled within a vehicle, ower means directly associated and in rivin engagement with.

the drums, a plurality 0 cables having their free ends secured to the guide blocks and to the winding drums respectively and adapted to move the guide blocks, a stop block secured to one of the cables, and means connected therewith for reversing the power -means at the completion of each cleaning stroke. I

MORRIS R. MOON. 

